by John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, Ph.D
by John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, Ph.D
Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics
Catholic Theological Union
Chicago
During the presidency of Bill Clinton I had the opportunity to testify before the
U.S. Congress on a bill which affirmed that the capital of the State of Israel
is Jerusalem and that our embassy should relocate there at a proper time.
The bill was eventually passed and signed by the President. I am glad I
gave this testimony because I do recognize that Jerusalem is the spiritual
center of the Israeli nation. But I also have maintained the view that the
relocation of our embassy should be part of a negotiated peace agreement
that also makes way for Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. While such
a peace agreement will never come easily there are proposals out there that
would be acceptable to moderates on both sides of the current political
divide.
But the situation is not there for a genuine peace agreement so long as the
U.S. political leadership in Washington and in Israel remains committed to
settlement expansion and to a superficial understanding of the conflict, especially
in terms of Palestinian national consciousness. I want to be clear. I am not
casting all the blame for a failure to achieve a peace agreement on the U.S.
and Israeli governments. Too many simplistically do that. The political
divides within the Palestinian camp and the often morally irresponsible actions
of Hamas which harm their own people are also to blame. I remember a
panel discussion at Bethlehem University several years ago when a group
of Christian students spoke with utter disdain for Hamas, something I have also
heard from important Palestinian Catholic clergy.
But this was not the time to move the embassy. I do not necessarily believe it
will completely destroy the peace effort. That effort will only be destroyed if
our government fails to involve in any peace effort people far more qualified
and knowledgeable about the area than the obviously inept team now involved.
In addition the invitation to an openly racist Christian pastor https://www.jpost.com/American-Politics/Pastor-at-Jerusalem-US-Embassy-event-said-Jews-and-others-going-to-hell-556334 was the height of stupidity and an insult to other Christians, including Catholics, as well as Mormons and even Jews. This is also the case for the blessing Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump received from one of the most racist ultra orthodox rabbis in Israel, a man who has insulted black Ethiopian Jews. These situations reveal either a deep seated racism within the Trump administration or extremely poor vetting. Both possibilities remain profoundly disturbing both on the moral and political levels.